A new village for Bedfordshire

Marston Thrift represents a unique and exciting opportunity to create a viable and sustainable new village community of 2,000 homes close to Marston Moretaine in line with the Central Bedfordshire local plan.

Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC) has identified the Cambridge to Milton Keynes to Oxford Corridor as a location for growth, & there is a vision both locally and nationally for maximising the potential of this area.

The proposals by Catesby Estates plc, represent a unique and exciting opportunity to create a viable and sustainable new village community of 2,000 homes close to Marston Moretaine.

Committed to the early delivery of social infrastructure, & with new homes under construction within three years of obtaining an outline planning consent, we will meet CBC's strategic housing needs from the outset.

So what's different about our proposals?

Marston Thrift is the proposed name for the new community, inspired by the woodlands and country parks surrounding the site, along with the extensive additional planting we will deliver. Our proposals have some unique characteristics. Contributing to the overall objective of increasing woodland coverage within the Forest of Marston Vale, Marston Thrift will deliver at least 30% new hedgerow, tree and woodland planting within the site boundary, and we believe we can deliver a viable and sustainable new village community in Marston Vale that is sympathetic to its surroundings, sustainable and sets the benchmark standard for future development in the area.

Protecting Character & Identity

Our community will have good connectivity to local facilities, but will remain separate from existing local villages ensuring their individual identity and character is retained.

Championing Green Space

A new countryside park, would provide a natural buffer between the development and villages of Upper Shelton and Lower Shelton, whilst also delivering a significant new area of open space and habitat creation.

Accessible woodland will be provided, safeguarding rising ground to the north-west and creating opportunities for recreation and biodiversity. It will also help deliver the ‘Marston Thrift to Wootton Wood’ green infrastructure link creating a mosaic of woodland, open space, retained farmland, and hedgerows that extend across the northern part of the site.

A substantial green corridor to the south of the village will ensure there is a ‘green edge’ to development, and in combination with the countryside park and new woodland, provide a habitat/recreational corridor around the entire settlement.

Overall the scheme will deliver around 100 ha of publicly accessible open space.

Early Delivery of Social Infrastructure

We will provide social infrastructure including schools and community facilities first in preparation for each phase of development. The homes which will sit within each fully serviced land parcel will then follow on.

This approach will enable Catesby Estates to set the standard and establish the long term place-making vision for Marston Thrift, which will be achieved by maintaining an absolute focus on high quality design and materials.

This will include early provision of education facilities, including a combined 2 form entry lower school and 4 form entry middle school and a further 2 form entry lower school.

In additional a local centre to include a community building, health and social care facilities, small supermarket, café, 2 retail units, pub/restaurant and parking for a ‘park and ride’ facility will also be provided.

Show your support

Marston Thrift is not currently proposed for development in the draft Central Bedfordshire Local Plan (2015-2035). In the context of the planned partial review of the Local Plan (proposed to start within six months of adoption of the current Plan) and with your support we hope to demonstrate why Marston Thrift represents a sustainable site to meet future growth requirements.